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Black folks' favorite gubna Bob F. McDonnell is at it again. First it was the revisionist history of the civil war, one which conveniently omitted slavery. Now he says forget about sexy, he wants to bring the literacy test back.
Instead of the one page application that ex-offenders are currently required to submit in order to request their voting rights be restored, this proposal would now require them to write the governor a personal letter in which they detail their crime, subsequent strides in education or community service, and how they've changed. This ultimately turns an automatic process into a subjective process that could prevent poor and less-educated residents the right to vote. It gives the governor's office more room to reject applicants and creates disincentives for those with literacy challenges to even apply.
The ACLU calls this a modern day "literacy test." The literacy test was notoriously used to deny suffrage to African Americans. Adopted by a number of southern states, the literacy test was applied unfairly, and used to disfranchise many literate blacks while allowing many illiterate whites to vote. They were required to take some bogus test and if they didn't pass, they couldn't vote. "For persons with a limited education, the governor's requirement that they write an essay explaining their past actions and the rationale for why their rights should be restored is an insurmountable obstacle," said ACLU Virginia Executive Director Kent Willis.
This proposal has also faced a firestorm of outrage from Democratic leadership and civil rights organizations. The Democratic Party of Virginia Executive Director, David Mills, released the following statement this week, "Gov McDonnell should immediately remove this costly and burdensome barrier for non-violent offenders to renew their voting and 2nd amendment rights.
Virginia is one of the only two states in the country (Kentucky being the other) that denies the right to vote-for life-to anyone with a criminal conviction. The only means by which an ex-felon can get his or her voting rights restored is through the governor's office. The vast majority of states automatically restore voting rights after a sentence has been completed.
The governor's office argues that the essays are intended to streamline the process so that the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Janet Polarek, and her staff, will have the necessary details about the offenders in front of them. She told WTVR television tha if the writing proposal is enacted, it will actually help felons get their voting rights restored quicker than before.
However, the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus is not buying what she's selling. In a statement issued to the Richmond Times-Dispatch they asserted that, " Gov McDonnell's decision to use the executive power granted to him to transform the restoration of voting rights from an objective process to a subjective one that is contingent on an original essay for non-violent offenders is taking a horrific step back towards the era of Jim crow." Translation: "Oh, hell naw!"
This measure is even more shocking (or maybe now it makes perfect sense) after the hot water water McDonnell found himself in last week after his attempt at Slavery Denial.
Well, at least one thing has become painfully clear, he needs more people. Sheila Johnson, come get your boy.
Comments: (55)
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By: tired of poor me attitude on 4/16/2010 8:35PM
Criminals lose their rights when thy commit crimes. Just because people have no clue how an educated,civil society works does not mean they get their rights back. Tough break felons. Nobody cares about your opinions, don't break the law and you don't have to worry about it. Felons should be glad they are not in jail forever.
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By: ADMR on 4/17/2010 7:15AM
AMEN
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By: dre on 4/19/2010 7:41AM
I'm a USMC officer I'm black & I'm 40, when I was 18 I was in a car, just going to a party. My car was not running so we got a ride with a friend. His cousin was driving. He hit a small girl on a bike & drove off & cop chased us down. We were all charged with a fed crime of hit & run. I was a A student was accepted to the West Point & the War College in PA. After the trail when it was shown my friend & I was just passengers & the driver didn't see the little girl. He served 3 yrs we were both let go with probation. And that was even overturned. My point is anyone can be put in jail, even if they did nothing wrong. I was lucky that poor girl was not. But you seem blind by your views on certain groups of people. Why do I feel that you think all "Those people" are animals that should be slaves or locked up at birth. This is why I did not sign back up I'm leaving the USMC after almost 20 yrs. I can't defend people like you & teabaggers anymore. I won't put my life on the line for bigots..
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By: rosa on 4/19/2010 10:54PM
This comment you should have kept to yourself. There are innocent people who have been found guilty of crimes just solely based on association and someone snitching on them to take the rap for something they did. I'm sure you have committed a crime of your own just haven't been caught maybe a speeding ticket, making sexual remarks to a lady when no one was around. Everyone who has served their time if they have to pay taxes then they should have the right to vote as well. I feel once you have did your time and completed parole/probation successfully but have not paid your fines off but have payment plan; you should have all your rights restored and a pardon if you have not had any felonies in the past three years whether you are a violent offender or not. Violent offenders are less likely to repeat their offense as opposed to non-violent. Some not all some people just cannot be rehabilitated but you cannot base a whole number because everyone person is different and have different situations and circustances. I served 14 years for a crime I did not commit and the bad part about it the VICTIM told the courts this information and yet my co-defendant only got 5 years and released right away. I've been out for 6 years no charges and have had a horrible time obtaining employment due to this regardless of my education which includes college level with a G.P.A. of 4.0. I also have alot of various trades but cannot utilize any of them due to my felony conviction do you think this is fair? Just for a brain teaser, the way the economy is now would you rather I be working to survive and make an honest living or would you rather I be out killing or robbing you? Now do you feel the same way? I should think not. Everyone should be given a second chance in life God forgives us and we as a country of the suppose to be free should exercise this as well. I learned alot while in confinement and know what needs to be done to help those who use the system as an revolving door to stay out. Society does NOT know what really goes on behind those walls nor know why they keep going back I do. Its like the bible say if you give a man fish he'll eat for that day but if you teach him how to be a fisherman he'll eat for a lifetime. They need the proper tools the same with ex-felons. Some states help them this one does not. So stop stepping on my neck holding me down but instead help me up.
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By: paul on 4/16/2010 11:14PM
So, the argument is that this would be a better country if more illiterate felons had a say in who gets elected. I'm not sure I agree.
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By: Shabba on 4/17/2010 5:00AM
We have Bill Clinton, Michael 'junk bond' Milkin, G Gordon Liddy, Ollie North, Scooter Libby, all convicted felons who were given their voting piviledges back along with lucrative book deals and radio/TV shows. Oh, I forgot, these are all white men and only people of color are the only convicts who should loose their right to vote. If literacy was a problem, they would not have taken the rights to earn a college degree away from the inmates and in some cases, the right to earn a GED. It is all about shrinking the Democratic voting pool, since most inmates consider themselves to be independents and democrats rather than republicans and tends to vote that way....
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By: Shabba on 4/17/2010 3:43AM
Mike why do you think it necessary to always voice your idiotic opinion? Cant get on the other KKK sites? Speaking of literacy, you forgot we taught your people to read, and opened the first European library in Greece for your people.
McDonnell is a fool who will be a one term governor. I hope BET co-founder Sheila Johnson is happy with her boy, since she campaigned for him. Now he is kicking her in the butt and insulting her with his Confederacy Proclamation and the new version of the Poll Tax...
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By: E on 4/17/2010 1:11PM
I am a black women and I approve this message. Felons and People who want to have children should have a literacy test.
1. If you can't read, how truly do you know anything about what's going on in legislation.
2. If you can't read what type of value on education will you pass down to your children.
In this day and age there is NO EXCUSE! Even 4 year olds can read now. If someone cant atleast try to learn to read then voting is the least of their worries.
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By: gary on 4/17/2010 9:13PM
Great post, but who do you think got Nobama elected? How about the illiterate, the uninformed, the sheeple, the dead, ACORN recruits and those who wanted to make history regardless of the cost to our nation. Problem is--we gotta pay for it. Now we'll add 12 Million illegals and transport them to the polls as well. makes you proud to be an American.
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By: rainy day on 4/18/2010 11:47AM
bring it on, big guy, there is nothing i can't do
i can run, i can jump, O i can read too,
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